Rugby: Taking the ball into contact and support play

5 players all with a ball line up along a coned area.

They run out and touch the ball down halfway, leaving the ball on the ground.

The players continue to run to the end of the coned area, touch the ground with their hand, turn and run back picking the ball up on the way, and then pass to their partner.

The drill is repeated with the next set of players.

The drill can be developed by racing against each other.

6 players line up in a coned area each with a ball.

Players run out to score a try at the opposite end, and then return with the ball and pass to their partner.

Next 6 players go.

The drill is repeated and continuous.

Develop the drill by racing against each other

Fun game to practice passes/kicks not being intercepted.

Divide players into two equal teams and set up two grids (one small and one big - see diagram).

The blue team are divided in half with half in the small grid, and half outside the big grid. They are trying to pass/kick the ball between themselves to score points - one for every pass/kick which is caught on the full.

The red team are trying to intercept the passes/kicks or distract the blue team players. They cannot leave big grid or enter the small grid.

Players in the small grid cannot leave the small grid

Progressions - 

Players can only hold the ball for 5 seconds

If a ball is dropped/intercepted it is taken out of the game

This is good for upper body strength.

Defenders must stand in a circle about 2 metres apart to keep contact away from injuring anybody unnecessarily. The ball carrier works into a defender who must wrap around and keep hold of the ball, the support attacker must rip the ball from his partner and move onto a different defender for the process to repeat. The 2 attackers are given a time limit to work as hard as possible.